Arena Wars Fight Series and match maker Keith Weir are returning to Clackamas and the Camp Withycombe Armory on September 19th with a card featuring seven pro boxing matches and one Muay Thai bout.
A super welterweight bout will see a clash of unbeatens as Shamar Woolery (5 0) faces Pedro Torres (5 0) in a five round affair. Woolery will return to the ring after fighting in August while Torres is coming off a knockout win in April. While Woolery enters the ring with the ability to boast about winning his fights by knocking out his opponents, Torres can make the case that he has faced tougher opponents. Both men fought as amateurs, and that experience has served them well in the professional ranks. This shapes up as a puncher versus a boxer on paper, but it could also resort to being a fight that sees both men throwing hard shots to end the fight before it hits round five.
A five round lightweight fight will pit Apolinar Lopez (2 1) against Jerrell Lane (1 1 1). Lopez has won in his last two outings, though he was in tough in each of them, scoring a majority decision against Blaiwas Eaglepipe and a unanimous decision when he faced Maurico Huerta. Lane has also been in some tough matches, fighting to draw with Agustin Tovar, scoring a unanimous decision against Reith Duir before dropping a unanimous decision to David Cruz Tapia in a fight that was quite close. Lopez last fought in November of ’25 while this will be Lane’s third fight this year. That could give an edge to Lane, though Lopez’ athleticism will likely serve him well.
Unbeaten Jorge Garcia-Ponce (6 0 1) will step in to face Jovan Alayon (2 1 1) in a five round super welterweight bout. Garcia-Ponce made short work of his first four opponents before stepping up to fight a couple of tough fighters in Luis Iniguez, where he scored a unanimous decision win, and Brandon Watley, who he fought to a split draw before gaining a majority decision in the rematch. Alayon will have to be aware of Garcia-Ponce's power right and his quick movement in the ring. And on the other side, Alayon does carry some power, and he showed that with a first round knockout in his second fight as a professional. Alayon has also fought as a bare kncukle figter, and that can test one's toughness.
Super bantamweight fighters are generally quick and like to throw a lot of punches. Gilberto Tapia Soto (0 1) will step in against Alexander Munoz (debut) in a fight scheduled for four rounds. Sotos lost a unanimous decision in May in a fight in which had the outcome of one round been different, the fight would have ended in a draw. Though this is his pro debut, Munoz brings his experience as an amateur to the ring.
Super lightweights David Cruz Tapia (1 0) and Reith Duir (0 2) are scheduled for a four round fight. Tapia took a close unanimous decision in his pro debut. Duir has come up short in his two outings, but in each he has gone the distance. Duir has more amateur experience in the ring, and having fought more rounds could work to his advantage when facing Tapia.
Oscar Arriga (0 4 1) last fought in October of ’25 in a fight that resulted in a split draw. And though that may not have been the result Arriga wanted, it was a fight that showed he had improved when looked at in light of his previous four fights. He will face David Baltazar Calderon (debut) in a four round welterweight bout. Arriga has faced tough opposition, and in the battle of pro fighters that can be an advantage. However, Calderon brings a pretty solid amateur career to the fight, having fought in the Golden Gloves tournament.
Emmanuel Ojeda (3 2) is looking to get back in the win column after losing in his last two outings to unbeaten fighters. That alone says something about Ojeda in that he went the distance in both fights and did not let up in either of them. Prior to the losses, Ojeda had dropped only two rounds in three fights. Ojeda will face Gary Anderson Jr (debut) in a four round super featherweight fight. Though Anderson brings some amateur experience to the ring, he will have to rely on that to counter Ojeda’s nonstop pressure.
Rounding out the card will be three a Muay Thai bout that will see Malique Lee make his debut in facing Christopher Burgett (1 1). The fight will be contested at middleweight. Burgett scored a knockout in in fifty eight seconds in his last fight.
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Roy Jones Jr. Promotions returns to Legends Casino on October 3rd with a six bout card packed with some of the Northwest’s best fighters.
The rematch that has been over two years in the making will happen when Andrew Murphy (13 0) faces Devontae McDonald (8-6) in an eight round super middleweight bout. When these two fought early in 2024, Murphy took the win and wore the belt. Since then, McDonald has been asking for the rematch, and matchmaker Chauncy Welliver made it happen. In the last fight Murphy took control of the fight early, catching McDonald with his jab and moving to stay out of McDonald’s reach. McDonald will likely look to get off to a quicker start in this fight, moving to avoid Murphy’s jab while throwing his right jab when Murphy gets close. McDonald will also need to throw more punches, like he did in the closing rounds of their last fight, to slow Murphy’s output and perhaps back him on to the ropes where McDonald landed scoring punches in the last fight. McDonald enters the fight coming off two losses to tough opponents while Murphy has strung together five knockout wins, none going past round two, so McDonald may gain an advantage if he takes Murphy in to the later rounds.
Cruiserweights Carlos Villanueva (8 3) and Billy Drywater (3 2) will go to battle in a six round bout. Villanueva scored a third round knockout in his last appearance, to cap a six win streak. Drywater comes in to the fight after dropping his last two, but one of those was a close five round decision. Both men have scored wins by way of the knockout, though the advantage there may land with Drywater whose three wins include two by knockout. This will be Villanueva’s second time fighting at six rounds, as it will be the first for Drywater who fought a five round bout in his last outing.
Jesus Velaquez (0 1) and Adam Smith (0 1) will be looking to grab their first win when they face each other in a four round middleweight bout. Both men were in tough fights in their pro debut, and having faced rough competition could bode well in this battle. Smith went the distance in his four round debut, Velaquez suffered a third round TKO loss in his debut. Smith is returning to the ring after a nearly seven year layoff, and that could give Velaquez an advantage if Smith is slow to adapt to Velaquez’s pressure.
Super lightweights Brandon Watley (1 6) and Abel Lucas (debut) will step in to fight in a bout scheduled for four rounds. Lucas brings some amateur experience to the ring and while that will certainly help, he will be facing one of the better six loss fighters in the PNW. Watley’s record is deceiving because his losses have come at the hands of some of the better fighters in the area. Lucas will have to contend with Watley’s pressure and that means Lucas will have to move out of Watley’s reach while finding opportunities to step in and deliver hard shots.
Featherweight Isaac Russell (1 0) will fight in a four round featherweight bout against an opponent yet to be named. Russell scored a thunderous first round knockout in his last appearance, and that means whoever signs the contract to face him will need to be aware of the power he carries.
Super lightweight Jonathan Magana (2 0) will bring his unbeaten record to the ring in a four round bout against an opponent yet to be signed. Magana has dispensed of his previous opponents in the first round of each fight, and that means his opponent will have to be aware that Magana is a fast starter.
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